Aral Sea. This sea used to be the fourth largest inland sea on Earth. In the 1960s the Soviets pursued extensive cotton production in the country, which requires large amounts of water to grow. Since that time the sea has shrunk to less than 50% of its former area and decreased in volume threefold.

History. Iranian nomads settled in the area in the first millennium BCE. The area began to become centers of trade between the West and China and eventually the Silk Road brought wealth. For many years the Uzbekistan area was ruled by the Persians. The Mongol-Turkic people conqured the region under Genghis Khan in the 13th century.

Mineral Resources. Mining 80 tons of gold a year, Uzbekistan has the 4th largest gold deposits in the world. It's copper deposits rank 10th in the world, uranium deposits 12th, natural gas 11th, and it has large amounts of untapped reserves of oil and gas.

Religion. Muslims make up 90-96% of the population in Uzbekistan, followed by 5% who are Russian Orthodox. Many versions of Islam are practiced in the country - 54% are non-denominational Muslims, 18% are Sunnis and 1% are Shias. The Jewish community flourished for centuries in Uzbekistan, however most have now immigrated to Israel or the USA.

Language. The official language of Uzbekistan is Uzbek. The Tajik language is commonly spoken in Bukhara and Samarkand. Russian is the language used for inter-ethnic communication, technical, science, government, and business.

Tashkent. Tashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It has a three-line rapid transit system built in 1977, and expanded in 2001. It has the reputation of being one of the cleanest systems in the former Soviet Union. The stations are unique and ornate.

Music. The traditional music of Uzbekistan is called Shashmaqam. The name translates as six maqams, meaning that the music contains 6 sections, in 6 different modes, interrupted by Sufi poetry .

Etymology. One theory of the origin of the name Uzbek is that it was named after Oghuz Khagan (also called Oghuz Beg). Another theory is that it is from the Turkic word "Oʻz" (meaning self) combined with the Turkic title Bek/Bey/Beg. A last theory is that "Uz" comes from one of the Oghuz Turks (known as Uz or Uguz) combined with "Bey" or "Bek" to form uguz-bey, meaning "leader of an oguz".

Samarkand. This "crossroads of world cultures" is located in a large oasis in Northeastern Uzbekistan. There is evidence of settlements as far back as 1500 BCE. In the 14-15 century it was the capital of the Temurid realm. In the northeast of the city is the ancient city of Afrosiab, founded in the 7th century BCE. To the south, there is medieval city of the Temurid.

Food.Uzbek cuisine is influenced by the crops that are grown locally. There is a great deal of grain farming in Uzbekistan, so breads and noodles are common. Mutton is a popular variety of meat due to the abundance of sheep in the country.The seasons influence the menus. In the summer fruits (grapes, melons, apricots, pears, apples, cherries, pomegranates, lemons, figs, dates), vegetables (green redishes, yellow carrots, pumpkins, squash, eggplants, peppers, turnips, cucumbers and tomatoes), and nuts are used. The winter diet traditionally consists of dried fruits and vegetables, preserves, noodle or pasta dishes.

Statistics for uzbekistan

Population:

About 28,929,716 (July 2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.29 years male: 70.25 years female: 76.52 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.8 children born/woman (2014 est.)

Ethnicity:

Uzbek 80%

Russian 5.5%

Tajik 5%

Kazakh 3%

Karakalpak 2.5%

Tatar 1.5%

other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:

Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni)

Eastern Orthodox 9%,

other 3%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2013 est.)

Literacy:

total population: 99.4% male: 99.6% female: 99.2% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2011)

Adoption Facts about uzbekistan

A 2013 decree amending the civil procedural code concerning courts appointed as adoption authorities to review international adoptions is causing delays in the adoption timeline as they implement these new procedures.

INTER-COUNTRY Adoption PROGRAM in uzbekistan

Ages of children: For the purposes of adoption in Uzbekistan, a child must be under 16 years of age by the time the adoption is completed. Absent an earlier legal finding of abandonment, one year must pass from the date the child was found abandoned before s/he becomes eligible for adoption. Technicall the age range is from approximately 5-6 months to 14 years of age.

Hague Convention country: No.

Timeline: Foreign adoption in Uzbekistan is a time-consuming process. It can take from six months to two years. Moreover, prior to issuing an immigrant visa to the adopted child, the U.S. Embassy may have to conduct a field investigation. Prospective adoptive parents should be prepared to make additional trips to Uzbekistan before the adoption is complete.

Ethnicity of Children: Most children are of Uzbek descent, with olive skin and slightly Asian features. Uzbekistan represents a variety of ethnic groups, including Uzbek, Russian, Ukrainian, German (all Caucasian races), Kazakh (Mongol race), and Tatar. There are many Slavic and Mongol children as well, making for a very diverse population.

Gender of Children: Prospective adoptive parents may request either gender.

Siblings:Siblings generally must be adopted by one adoptive family, except in cases where health or other considerations prevent them from being raised together.

Marital status: Unmarried women may adopt from Uzbekistan. Mariied couples must have been married for at least one year. A history of divorce is peremitted. Other children in the family are acceptable.

Parent Qualifications:Prospective adoptive parents must be at least 15 and no more than 45 years older than the child.

Travel: One trip is required.

Post Placement Reports and Supervision:Your child's adoption is finalized in Uzbekistan, but Uzbekistan requires post-placement reports and photos of your child over a period of time. The number of reports and frequency may change, but currently there are four reports required, at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after the adoption is finalized. Uzbek law may require that adoptive parents submit annual reports to the Ministry of Public Education until the adopted child reaches age 16.

We strongly urge you to comply with the requirements established by the government of the country you are adopting from and complete all post-adoption requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption agency may be able to help you with this process and/or provide you with more specific guidelines.

If your agency is unable to help you with this, or no longer has an active program, it is suggested that you enlist the assistance of another agency that is able to help you complete the post-placement reports. If all else fails, filing the report directly with the embassy or Minister of Education of the country adopted from may be acceptable.

In Fall 2006, the following advice was obtained by Karen's Adopiton Links for all families who needed to file their own Post Placement Reports:

*FRUA is a service-marked acronym of Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption in use since 1994. It and the full organizational name, Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, are not to be used to describe any organization or service not related to FRUA, without permission.